Hygiena International Ltd has now extended its' range of colour-change surface hygiene tests to include procedures indicating the presence of pathogenic bacteria. The newest product launched is an all-in-one Listeria screening test called InSite.

This environmental surface test gives results in 24 - 30 hours by a simple visual colour change that indicates the presence of the organism. The test is designed to reduce time and costs by eliminating any negative samples, while also permitting subsequent confirmation by any other method. The test has undergone extensive validation and has been shown to be equivalent to standard methods. The broth has AOAC approval and tests for other indicator and pathogenic organisms will be available shortly.

Areas of application include all types of food and drink production, processing and preparation surfaces where food safety is a concern. Other users include supermarkets, restaurants and fast food outlets, auditors and inspectors, and healthcare establishments.

The range of other colour-change tests available from Hygiena include their Spotcheck, Spotcheck Plus and Pro-Clean, which include the detection of glucose and lactose, and proteins. These tests are designed to provide a fast, easy and affordable way to verify the hygiene and also monitor hazards.

The all-in-one, ready-to-use test devices produce a colour change, and the level of contamination is shown by the speed and depth of that colour change. Results are often achieved within seconds and determine the effectiveness of surface cleaning procedures.

A pre-moistened swab and stable colour-change reagent are contained within the device that is easily activated by a simple snap and squeeze action. No expensive instrumentation is required and the tests can form an important part of HACCP systems by giving real-time results and the option of immediate corrective action (such as recleaning). The tests can also assist with employee training and feedback, e.g. demonstrating the importance of hand wash procedures.